Game Demos – Page 2 – Ms. Bella's World

2–4 minutes

From time to time, I check out the game demos on Steam to see if anything peaks my interest. Frequently I’ll find a little game that, after looking it over, I end up adding to my wishlist. Most of these games tend to be lighthearted puzzle games, fantasy or science fiction RPGS, or the ever-growing list of survival games coming out.

Rarely do I add a walking simulator to my list. However, this one was so bizarre, and reminded me so much of something H.R. Giger would have dreamed up, that it ended up there.

The game is called Necrophosis. By the developers Dragonis Ares and Adonis Brosteanu, this game is tagged as Lovecraftian, Surreal, Walking Simulator, and Mystery.

The description of the game, from the Steam Page, reads –

“Necrophosis inspired by Zdzislaw Beksinski is a chilling first-person horror adventure, plunging you into a nightmarish realm teeming with grotesque forms and ominous visuals. Delve into eerie landscapes and uncover secrets in this atmospheric journey through the macabre.“

I had never heard of Zdzislaw Beksinski before, so I looked him up. He was a Polish painter, photographer, and sculptor born in 1929, specializing in dystopian surrealism. And, might I add, he did it quite well.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, he entered what he referred to as his ‘fantastic period,’ focusing on surrealistic, detailed environments of death and decay. Despite the grimness of his work, he insisted many of them were optimistic and was uninterested in hearing interpretations, even going so far as to leave his works untitled.

Like Giger, I wouldn’t call his art pretty, and I wouldn’t hang it on my wall. But also, like Giger, I can’t help but be drawn to many of his pieces. I found myself staring at them for some time in contemplation, wondering what he was thinking as he crafted each piece.

Inspired by Beksinski’s haunting visions, Necrophosis captures a similar sense of grim fascination. In the demo, you’re dropped into the story with very little knowledge of who you are or why you’re there. You have to figure out how to navigate this desolate world of death and decay, where everything that is has already perished and even death itself can die. There aren’t even enemies to fight; you are truly alone in your isolation.

After stumbling around for a while, missing obvious clues as I stared at the dark, graphical feast in front of me, I finally started to pick up the gameplay, just in time for the demo to end.

I was relieved. I wanted more. I needed to know why this world was the way it was. How far into the future was this reality, and was it truly the end of time?

Now, I find myself reflecting on what I experienced in the game so far and eagerly awaiting a release date so I can continue exploring this unsettling terrain. Despite Beksinski’s insistence that he didn’t know the meaning behind his art, I find myself yet searching for some glimmer of it in both his work and the world of Necrophosis.

If the whole game continues as it began, then I highly recommend it for people who love darkly atmospheric simulators that leave you pondering life, mortality, death, and all that comes after.

And if you want to see more, I’ll be streaming the demo later today at 7:30 pm EST on YouTube and Rumble. I welcome you to take the journey with me, and perhaps you too will find yourself wanting to know more.

Until next time …

3–4 minutes

Well, good morning! I hope you’re doing well.

In a recent livestream, I intended to play through three or four demos for games mentioned in Steam’s Summer Showcase. I had an idea of the ones I was going to play and a bit of a plan.

However, that all went out the window when I started playing the first demo. It was a mixture of strategy and city building, with a bit of RPG thrown in for good measure. It had a fun art style, quirky characters, and interesting mechanics.

By the time the stream was over, I was sold on the game and wondering exactly when in Q3 2024 the game would be released into Early Access.

That game is Airborne Empire.

The sequel to Airborne Kingdom, by The Wandering Band LLC, Airborne Empire expands on the original concept with the inclusion of combat, raising the stakes for you and your tiny floating city.

I began with a core piece—the town center—floating above the land, accompanied by the narrator’s musings on reviving the airborne kingdoms of old. During the 2-ish hours I played, I gathered materials, built houses for my residents, assisted ground towns with repairs, and set up defenses against surprise pirate attacks.

I initially struggled, finding the tutorial somewhat lacking. It took some tinkering and rereading to figure things out. While players of the original game might not face this issue, new players like myself could find it frustrating. So in that aspect, it would be nice to see the tutorial expanded upon.

Once I grasped the mechanics, I was hooked on creating my unique floating city. I built houses for my little residents. I learned to beware of tilt, lest my city become unstable and make the residents unhappy enough to leave. I figured out how to gather materials, found food and water, and how to move my city.

The first town I came across was friendly towards me, a bit in awe of the little flying city and desperate for help. They’d recently been attacked by pirates and needed materials to repair. So, off I went to gather what they needed, grateful that these materials were close by and easy to gather and bring back. After all, we were small and didn’t have a lot of weight we could carry.

By the end of the demo, I found myself amazed that over two hours had passed. It hadn’t felt that way, and I was sad to end my stream. I wanted to continue, learn more about this avian-type society and their obsession with the flying cities. I wanted to find out who these pirates were and why they kept attacking.

I wanted to build more city!

On the Steam page, the description of the game reads:

“Build your sky city while exploring a vast landscape in this Open World RPG City Builder. Combining the methodical construction and management of a city builder; the unique lift, balance, and propulsion needed for a flying city; and the compelling characters, dangers, and adventures of an RPG!” — Description of Airborne Empire from the Steam page.

My guess is the game will come out at around $30, as Airborne Kingdom is on Steam for $24.99. Though, if you head over to Steam before June 17th, 2024, it’s on sale for $9.99.

From what I can tell, the biggest differences between the two games are the graphics and the combat. The first game is pretty, though I prefer the looks of the sequel, and there isn’t any combat in the first one. The second game, with its combat, adds an extra layer of challenge and the need to strategize not only your inhabitants’ happiness but their safety too.

A little extra challenge sounds fantastic!

After playing the demo, I would definitely recommend this game to people who enjoy a little story, strategic gameplay without micromanagement, and the challenge of defending your hard-earned empire from enemies.

Check it out on Steam while the demo is live and look forward to seeing it on my channel when I can pick up a copy after release.

Happy flying!

Until next time, bye for now!